Remnants Saber
by Zuknari
Summary: Comic-con was supposed to be fun… Well, that was screwed about 6-months before with a very stupid bet with my sister. Somehow lead into a quest in another dimension.
1. Chapter 1

Comic-con was suppose to be fun… Well that was screwed about 6-months before with a very stupid bet with my sister. In my infinite wisdom I bet she wouldn't be able to pull off a decent looking cosplay of any character. Notice how dumb that was as I said ANY Character. She of course did a fantastic job making a saber costume from the fate series. There was only one problem, she had… ahem too large a chest to make the breast plate look right.

"No, just no" I deadpan at the smiling face of my sister.

"So, your going back on your promise?" she asked with a slightly wider smile.

My explosive sigh of resignation said it all. I alway tried to keep what I promised unless is was truly unable, this unfortunately was embarrassing not impossible.

"Fine, you get to explain to dad why I'm going to be wearing a dress to Comic Con and borrowing the forge. I am not going to have a cheap prop substitute." I a very flat and unamused look before stating "your also paying for the metal."

"Fine I'll pay for the metal" she pouted then of course started cackling. "Be worth it to see you cross dress." I'm sure the redness was from my palms hitting on my face.

So time passed I spend evenings and weekend forging somewhat lightweight plates,greaves,gauntlets, and the breastplate. This was most expensive "Halloween costume" ever as my dad put it. The biggest problem came with the sword itself.

"Well this is not going well" I sighed melting down another blade something is missing from it.

"Alex, you do realize the Comic con policy is going to prevent you from even drawing the blade to show it off?" my dad spoke into the workshop from the door way.

"I know dad but, I can't make the blade half assed after putting so much work into the costume already" sighing a bit once again.

"Well perhaps you will have an idea what your missing tomorrow. Maybe you should work on the scabbard a bit? Get yer mind off the blade for a bit eh."

"Fine I'll take another stab at it tomorrow."

By the time the convention rolled around it still wasn't right. I made one that fit the character, looked pretty but still didn't feel right in my hand. The scabbard was much the same. I made a few discrete zip ties holding the blade in place.

"Get dressed Alex, I want to have time to laugh at you before we leave" said my sister with a slap on my back.

Resigned to my fate I trudged to my room. My sister of course being ever helpful laid the dress on my bed. I would never live this down, my sister wouldn't let me live this down either. I was lucky to convince my sister that I could wear pants underneath with the greaves.

"Call me back in after your dressed, I've got to put makeup on you" skipping out and closing the door.

"Crap I forgot about that." I slowly got dressed in a dress and I fit the cuirass on. I had thought to shave my head but my hair was already short enough to hide under a wig. I didn't know how to put on a wig myself, but I at least I could put in the green contacts. Staring in the mirror while I had the contacts in was definitely odd the brilliant emerald green my eye came out to made me look like I was staring into your soul. My sister did a really good job on the dress itself, It make me look skinnier then I was. The puffy shoulders of the dress hiding my own broader shoulders, and the high collar hiding the tell of the Adam's apple. The gold line flowing down the arm was wider making the rest of my arm smaller. And of course my own height also added to the look I measured to a terribly high 5'3".

My musing on my appearance ended with my sister asking if I was ready to do the makeup.

"Yeah lets get this over with, just don't go to crazy will you." I pleaded half heartedly, my sister of course ignored it. Setting boxes of makeup and other things on the counter.

"Non-sense, you don't want this to be a half-hearted job do you? Now face over here." For the longest 45 minutes of my life I had my hair done into a wig and makeup plastered onto my face.

"Are we done yet?"

"Almost… There we go, have a look in the mirror" said my sister gesturing to the mirror. I turned to the mirror and I could barely keep my jaw from dropping. I looked way different, my face had been rearranged.

"You should be a makeup artist. I don't even look like myself anymore." I said with barely contained awe.

"Well you said you were going to keep to the bet. I was hoping to make it slightly less embarrassing for you." She rubbed her neck with a slightly sheepish expression before stating with a brilliant smile. " Only family members will know your cross-dressing."

"Thanks" I deadpanned.

"You kids ready to get going, it does take time to get there you know" hollered dad.

"Yea dad we just need to show off Alex's costume" she snickered and left me to face the rest the family alone. I slid the greaves and boots on before heading out of my room. Every clanking step I took made me dread more as I was coming to the family-room. I paused took a deep breath and stepped out to face the music.

A whistle from my dad made me embarrassed. My mom however made it worse her eyes looking over everything critically "Your posture is atrocious." Her smile widened "I should have stuffed you into more dresses when you were younger your adorable" and proceeded to hug the stuffing out of me. I could have sworn the metal plate bent a bit.

Everyone had a laugh and poked fun at me till it was time to leave.

Comic-Con was quite fun once we got inside I posed a bit for pictures, until someone I never expected came up.

"It is quite interesting how history repeats itself, Heir Pendragon" spoke a smooth almost airy voice, I turned to the voice. My eyes widen, you take a few male super-models at least tripling all good qualities, you may a something close to how pretty this guys was. It also made me extremely wary not one other person was paying any attention.

"I find a descendant, a male, crossdressing as you did once before. I wonder if he's got a boyfriend?" He mused.

"MERLIN!" I shout completely unthinking. He jerks and looks completely dumbfounded.

"You can see me?" he sounds very interested. I'm completely frozen, that wasn't a response I expected. A split second later he's right next to me. I jerk away almost stumbling into someone, keeping my eyes focused on him.

"Very interesting, magic is still alive here I see. Maybe he can do it" quietly speaks to himself. Somehow he has the sword and scabbard I made.

"Would you go on a quest to save your family, friends and possibly the rest of humanity? Knowing if you pick up the sword you will stop being human" Merlin asked. He holds the scabbard and sword to me. I reach slightly "You should consider thoroughly before you pick it up" Merlin states once more.

"I'm sure its not a wrong decision" I state firmly grabbing the hilt.

"Just like Artoria" he smiled sadly.


	2. Chapter 2

I opened my eyes to a place very different than the convention hall. Morning light shined through a veritable forest of trees.

A part of me wanted to think this was a fever dream, that I was hallucinating the trees and grass. The cool breeze caresses my cheeks and ruffled my now golden locks. A breath turned to a forged fire burning in my chest, spread through my veins. Each breath lessening the heat until it was nothing more than a small warmth centered on my heart.

"Goddamit Merlin, you weren't supposed to be real!" I spoke heatedly my rage barely contained with a small tremble. Closing my eyes once more taking a few deep breaths and slow exhales. Completely missing the fact that my voice was very feminine and familiar sounding.

"RAGH!" screaming out and smashing my gauntlet-covered fist into the tree next to me. The explosion of wood chips surprised me, turning to see the damage. I had smashed nearly 3/4 through the trunk of the tree. Creaking dangerously the tree proceeds to fall towards me AVOID IT I scream to myself. Of course, being in a body that is hilarious stronger then I could ever be this was the worst sort of idea.

Had anyone been in the area they would have seen a small blond in a blue-white dress with metal plates plowing through trees backward screaming "OH SHIIIII" before crashing into a cold lake.

Now I was cold, wet, and annoyed. Luckily I crashed close to the shore of the lake, trying to swim in armor would be terrible especially if I started to panic again.

With a sigh, I trudge through the water to shore and freeze seeing my reflection.

"When I get my hands on you Merlin I'm going to " I spoke in a feminine voice with my rage building. Staring at me was Arturia Pendragon's face dripping water, with blazing emerald green eyes and expression twisting in rage.

"Thank me for the wonderful job?" a smug voice spoke from the shore.

"Merlin…" it was barely audible, mechanically I looked to him. Hate and anger in my voice made him flinch. "What made you think I wanted to be taken from my family?" I continued slowly making my way to the shore. "Or be changed from a man to a woman?"

He sighed and with a gesture, pulled the excess water off me and with another created two chairs. "Saber have a seat."

"I am not Saber!" I venomously spat.

"No, you are not." Stated Merlin with infuriating calm but his youthful face seemed to age gaining a thousand-yard stare. I realized at that moment how much that must have hurt. His protege he failed no… A daughter he failed forever beyond his reach.

"Now have a seat and I will explain."

I hesitated a split second then took a seat across from Merlin.

"Now I dragged you here for a few reasons. I have been searching for someone in hopes to fix a very large problem. You happened to be in the right place at the right time or wrong time." Merlin gave a very slight smile at the end.

I glared in response and with a bit of anger "That's it? You dragged me here because I was there! What gave.."

"NO!" Shouted Merlin and fixed me with a glare that made me feel inches tall. "I picked you because you were able to answer. Of all the realities I have visited this point I have not managed to have someone see me and answer my question."

"Why does that matter?"

"How many people do you think can see into a space-time reality warping field, Let alone move when the time the area has been frozen?" he said with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm going to say not a lot," I said.

"Indeed I have found a mere handful before you. But they could not answer me truthfully."

"How could answering truthfully help you decide who to take from such a short question," I asked with a bit trepidation as he seemed to be leading to something.

"Because every question I asked would require great sacrifice. Something the others were not willing to give up. You answered the question not with a yes or no but with, I'm sure its not a wrong decision. The other field I had up would read your intentions and would allow you to speak only from your very soul." Merlin paused "If you didn't hold that belief. That it might require you to sacrifice everything. You would not have been able to utter a single word." Spoke Merlin in a very serious tone. "And this problem just may require everything you have."


	3. Chapter 3

Merlin was uncharacteristically serious with a severe expression painted on his face. "How much do you know of the Many world theory(parallel reality) Alexander?"

"I assume that is about each world splitting timelines with each choice being a separate time-line" a spoke hesitantly as it had been a long time since I've read guesses on parallel world theories.

"A simple answer, but correct. When an author creates a…" Merlin pauses a second and you could hear the air quote. "Work of fiction. They are peering into another realm. These ideas come across and very minutely affect the void and the veil around realities. So stories are in fact works of non-fiction."

"This is where the problem comes in. I assume you've read lore into my own set of reality, as you were dressed as Artoria Pendragon." Merlin gravely stated, "The Grail was used."

A look of panic flashed across my face as I thought of some really bad things that could happen with that monkey paw of a device. The Holy Grail was a wish-granting ritual, which had been established by Tohsaka, Matou, and Einzbern families as a means to reach Akasha. The Akashic Records I also knew as Swirl Of the Root is the ultimate ambition of most magi, as it is the truth of everything. Seeing the Root, touching it then understanding would completely erase the meaning of impossible. The magus reaching it would be granted as some would say as 'the capabilities of God'. The one I remembered was from the Fate/stay series, In which the grail was corrupted in the third war by Avenger Angra Mainyu turning the Grail into the manifestation of All the World's Evil.

"Merlin please tell me that the grail wasn't the one that was corrupted" I pleaded to know, that was the probable case anyway.

"Oh, it was. It wouldn't be a problem if it was only contained to a single reality, Gaia and Alaya would've handled it. The combination of Excalibur's release and the wish the grail made, created a hole, in reality, allowing the mud of the grail to fall through the weaken barrier to this world." A small world floated in his hand like a hologram.

"Why did you grab me, who is from a different world entirely? I have no training in combat, magic, diplomacy how in the world am I supposed to help!" I was beginning to get frustrated.

"I grabbed you because you are not from my reality, but close enough to understand how serious this. And the magic of my world is dying, Angra Mainyu was not kind to my world. Many magi didn't survive" he gave a bit of a pensive expression. "Not that I would trust many of them, they may have magecraft. Only to not have the most important part." He got up from his root chair to poke my armored chest plate. "You have the heart I need. You don't know how to help?"

"This world NEEDS a hero. Humanity is on its last legs on Remnant, the Grimm is a manifestation that gains strength on negative emotions. What do you think will happen when the mud containing All the world's Evils, its memories, emotions of billions are absorbed into the Grimm?" He started waving his hand a bit.

"Your heart is in the right place, you want to help. I can give memories of training for what you need." An orb of swirling pictures forms above his hand. Shining like a kaleidoscope disco ball.

"I'll help. Merlin. I don't appreciate being turned into a woman, can you change me back or to at least a man version?" I asked as I stood up. "I am sorry for my harsh words earlier."

"Unfortunately to give the best chance of this working I cannot. I'm under some limitations" his smile seemed strained.

"Can you at least tell my family where I've gone? Maybe tell them to not worry" I asked.

"I'll make sure they get the message. Good luck Alexander." Shoving the ball of light into me. I got an immediate headache, a massive circle of runes formed on the ground, and many more in the air. I fell to my knees, my strength leaving me. I whispered out "I'll see you later Merlin." The world faded away in a mass swirl of color and the scent of flowers.

As Merlin waited for the spell to finish. A very small letter was composed and sent with a flash of magic. A few tears shed from his weary eyes. A hoarse whisper "Sorry daughter mine, I don't think I'll be seeing you later"

Merlin's breathing became strained as slickly black and red lines crawled across his chest.

Casting a final spell Merlin's figure froze in a glass prison of runes. His pulse slowed then stop as his prison suppressed the corruption.


End file.
